Fire hose nozzle



April 5, 1966 w. s. THOMPSON FIRE HOSE NOZZLE 2 Sheeos-SheerI l FiledSept. l. 1960 INVEN TOR. h// MM 5. 7/1/0/17/50/1/ ATTORNEY gym@ fffApril 5, 1966 w. s. THOMPSON 3,244,375

FIRE HOSE NozzLE Filed Sept. l, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q IN VEN TOR. m

Wm /AM 5. @0M/05m.

ATTORNEY United4 States Patent Oiiice This invention relates toimprovements in re hose nozzles, and particularly to nozzles adapted tobe mounted upon the end of a tlexible hose for use in lighting fires.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a nozzle which isadjustable to provide control of they rate of flow of .liquidtherethrough between minimum and maximum settings while the nozzleoperates to discharge ,liquid and which provides an indication of therate of iiow in the various settings without, however, limiting settingsto selected values or preventing infinite adjustment within the rangebetween minimum and maximum settings.

A further object is to provide a novel nozzle which combines theadvantages of screw-threaded adjustment of the setting of a batiie diskto control rate of flow from the nozzle and of a screw-threaded sleevefor controlling the pattern of ejection of liquid therefrom, and whichfurther includes means for indicating the setting of both of saidadjustments.

A further object is to provide a nozzle of this character so constructedas to prevent excessive adjustment of rate of iiow either towardshut-off or toward maximum ow from any desired setting with assurance ofmaintenance of substantially constant ow rates in the lower rangeregardless of the spray pattern of ejection of liquid therefrom and withassurance of limitation of variations in the rate of flow incident tochanges in pattern setting in the upper range of the rate of owadjustments provided by the device.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specication.

In the drawings:

FIG. .1 is a view of the nozzle in side elevation with partsV shown insection;

FIG. 2 is an end view` of the nozzle at the discharge end thereof and isseen ,in the direction of the arrows in FIG. l;=

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectionalview taken on line 3-3 of EIG. 1'; f

FIG.v 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4 4 of FG.1;

FIG. 5 is a-fragmentary view similarto FIG..3, illustrating anotheradjustment of the device;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of the nozzle taken on line 6-60f FIG. 1illustrating-the same in one adjustment;

FIG. 7 is a takenon line 6,-6 of FIG. .1 and illustrating the nozzle ina second adjustment;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentarylongitudinal sectional view taken on line 6-6 ofFIG. 1, and illustrating the nozzle in a third adjustment.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodimentofthe invention, the numeral 10 designates the tubular body of the nozzle.The body 10 has a rear portion 12 with a large bore, and alfront portion16 with a smaller bore. .The front portion terminates in a spiderportion 18, for purposes to be described. The exterior of the portion 16has screw-threads 20.

A swiveladapter 22 is screw-threaded in the rear portion 12 of the bodyand is provided with a groove receiving a sealing ring 24. A swivel ring26 is rotatably mounted on the adapter 22 and is retained thereon byswivel retainer balls 28 traveling in registering grooves vfragmentarylongitudinal sectional view 3,244,376 Patented Apr. 5, 1966' in theadapter 22 and the ring 26. The swivel ring 26 has a screw-threaded boreportion 30 adapted to removably receive a fitting (not shown) mountedupon the end of a hose or other ilexible conduit.

A seal ring 32 is screw-threaded in the body portion 12 with which ithas a sealed connection by means of an O-ring or other annular seal 34.The seal ring 32 mounts an annular sealing member 36 adapted tocooperate with a valve ball 38 having a passage therethrough and beingmounted rotatably within the body upon a Valve actuator shaft 40operated by a handle 42. The handle 42 is mounted upon the shaft 40 andan aligned handle pivot screw 44 at its opposite end and is adapted tobe swung from a position, as illustrated in FIG. 6,

providing free passage of liquid through the nozzle body to a positionsubstantially at right angles at which the valve 38 closes the bore ofthe body.

A center barrel or tubular member 50 encircles the front body portion 16Iand has internal screw-threads 52 meshing with the threads 20 of thebody. An O-ring or annular seal 54 is interposed between the bodyportion 16 and the center barrel 50. The center barrel 50 projectsforwardly beyond the end of the tubular body and terminates in arestricted or reduced diameter end portion 56 in the nature of anannular internal flange having frusto-conical inner and outer surfaces.The spider portion 1S of the body mounts one end of a stem 58 projectingaxially forwardly from the body portion and through the reduced centerbarrel portion 56 to terminate in a disk 60 of larger diameter than thebore of the reduced center barrel portion 56. The disk 60 may have aplurality of small apertures 62 therethrough as seen in FIG. 2. The disk60 cooperates with theV center barrel reduction 56 to deline ordetermine the rate of flow of liquid through the nozzle or to constitutea ow modulating valve.

An end sleeve 66 has internal screw-threads 68 which mesh with externalscrew-threads 70 on the center barrel 50. End sleeve 66 has a sealed iitupon center barrel 50 by means of an annular resilient sealing member72, here shown as seated in a groove in the center barrel 5t). The endsleeve may be positioned in any selected adjustment upon the centerbarrel relative to the end of the center barrel to control the spray`pattern of the nozzle as between a laterally directed fog-formingposition in which the spray is dellected laterally and radially by meansof the disk 60, and a position substantially as shown in FIG. 6 whereina straight stream is discharged from the nozzle by reason of thestream-directing action of the forwardly projecting portion of the endsleeve relative to the center barrel Sti and the disk 60. The end sleeve66 may mount a hand grip ring 74 to facilitate rotationthereof upon thecenter barrel 50 to Vary the discharge pattern of the nozzle.

A locking lever St is pivoted to the rear body portion 12 at 82 and ispressed upon at its rear end portion by spring 84 so as to urge itsforward portion radially inwardly, or clockwise as illustrated inFIG. 1. The lever Sii eXtends longitudinally of the nozzle `and at itsfront portion 86 is substantially V-shaped. The lever is of suiiicientlength to project to a position partly overlying the rear portion of theend sleeve 66 in the forward position of adjustment of said sleeve. Theend sleeve 66 preferably has an indicator sleeve 90 encircling the sameand anchored thereto by set screw 92 or like means. The indicator sleeve90 may be formed of metal, plastic or any other suitable material andpreferably terminates in a rolled or enlarged end 94 which may beprovided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches 96, asbest seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, into which the portion 86 of the lockinglever is adapted to seat. Indicator sleeve 90 may have embossments 98thereon, for example, of different shapes as illustrated in FIG. l,serving to indicate the shape of the water discharged therefrom atdifferent settings of the indicator sleeve.

A ring lili) encircles the center barrel Si) and is xedly anchoredthereto by securing means, such as a set screw i012. The ring 100preferably has an end portion 104 of greater diameter than the remainderthereof, which portion lit may be provided with a plu'rality ofcircumferentially spaced notches lit. The locking lever has an elongatedintermediate portion Si thereof which has a sharp inner edge adapted toseat in a selected one of the notches 1% as illustrated in FG. 3, when anotch is brought into register therewith. vThe indicator ring i)preferably has a pair of ears 108 projecting therefrom and forming stopsengageable with the locking lever 80 to limit the extent of rotation ofthe center barrel relative to the nozzle body.

It will be apparent that rotation of the center barrel relative to thenozzle body will provide control of the spacing between the restrictedor valve seat portion 56 of the center barrel and the disk 60 carried bythe stem S8 projecting from the nozzle body, as a means to control the'rate of iiow of liquid through the nozzle. The provision of the wings10S on the ring 10d carried by the center barrel serves to limit therotation of the center barrel by virtue of the engagement thereof withthe locking lever Sii. Thus it is possible to predetermine a minimum andmaximum liow of water through the nozzle. At the same time there is nonecessary limit to the number of settings within those ow limits whichcan be had if desired. In other words, an infinite adjustment of the'rate of flow between the two extreme limits can be achieved because ofthe threaded relation of the center barrel 50 and the nozzle body. Atthe same time, the

provision of the notches 106 in the ring 100 does provide means forcalibration of the rate of flow so that, if the user desires to secure acertain calibrated rate of ow, it is possible to set the ring 100 in aposition so that the locking lever seats in a selected notch thereof andto thereby maintain the rate of dow at the calibrated amount. Also, theprovision of the notches, when properly calibrated, can be used as aguide for indicating rate of flow between specific calibrated settingswhen an adjustment is made, as illustrated in FIG. 5, in which thelocking lever seats on the ring portion 104 between adjacent notches106.

The device also provides means for indicating the setting of the endsleeve or stream control sleeve 66 as determined by the point ofengagement of the end 86 of the locking lever 80 with the rim 94 of theindicator sleeve 90. Here again, the user has a choice of settings whichis substantially innite because of the screwtheaded connection of theend sleeve 66 on the center barrel Si). At the same time', the notches96 and the indicator or indicia 98 upon the indicator sleeve 9i) providemeans in correlation with the locking lever Sti for indicating to theuser the approximate pattern which will be achieved in any given settingin which a notch receives the locking lever. provide other streamcontrol settings which are interpolations between settings outlined bythe respective notches. Thus an infinite setting of stream controladjustment is possible and can be elected rapidly utilizing theindicators as means for guiding the setting.

One of the characteristics of the nozzle is that within the lower limitsof adjustment of the rate of flow, a substantially constant rate of owmay be achieved regardless of the setting of the end sleeve 66 to varythe spray pattern adjustment. The device also provides assurance thatvariations of the rate of ow incident to changes in pattern settingadjustments in the upper range of rate of ow adjustments will belimited. Thus, although the device does not provide uniform control ofrate of iiow incident to changes in ow pattern settings throughout thefull range of operation, deviations from such full Also, the user ispermitted to control are small `and relatively unimportant in theireffect in use of the nozzle. This renders the nozzle suitable for use inconjunction with foam eductor apparatus because of the limitation of therange of change of rate of flow 4in the nozzle in full range ofadjustment thereof.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustratedand described, it rwill be understood that changes in the Iconstructionmay bermade within the scope of the appended claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A nozzle comprising a tubular body having inlet and outlet ends, astem carried centrally vby and projecting longitudinally from the outletend of said body, a tubular central barrel screw-threaded on said bodyand projecting therefrom and around said "stern, said central barrelhaving a reduced bore at one end portion, a disk carried concentricallyby said stem outwardly of the reduced bore portion ofsaid centralbarrel, 'anend sleeve screw-threaded on said central barrel and adapted,when projected, to encircle said disk concentrically and with clearanceto dene the stream pattern A'emitted from the nozzle, an elongatedlongitudinal meinber pi'votally carried by said body, stop means carriedby said central barrel and projecting for engagement with said lastnamed member for limiting rotative adjustment 'of said central barrel onsaid body and the spacing between said central barrel and said disk in apredetermined range in which said disk is spaced from said reduced boreat all times to thereby define minimum and maximum rates of flow fromsaid nozzle and a plurality of circumferentially spaced seats on saidcentral barrel between said stop means for releasably receiving saidlongitudinal member.

2. In a nozzle having a tubularbody with inlet and outlet ends, a stemcarried centrally by and projecting longitudinally from the outlet endof said body, a tubular central barrel screw-threaded on said body andprojecting therefrom and around 4said stein, said central barrel havinga reduced b'o're at one' end portion, `a disk carried concentrically bysaid stem outwardly of the reduced bore portion o f said central barrel,yan end sleeve screwthreaded on saidv central barrel and adapted, whenprojected, to encircle said disk concentricallyy and with clearance todefine the stream .patternemitted from the nozzle, the improvementcomprising an elongated longitudinal member pivotally carried by saidbody,A laterally projecting stop means on said centralbarrel andprojecting there.- from a distance greater than the spacing of s'aidlongitudinal member from saidV barrel and engageable with said lastnamed member to limit the range of adjustment of said central barrelrelative, to said diskfor controlling the rate of iiow from said nozzleand circumferentially spaced means on said centralgbarrel between said'stop means and selectively engageableby said longitudinal member tohold said central barrel in" selected flow-controlling adjustment. Y l

3. In a nozzle having a tubular body with inlet and outlet ends, a stemcarried centrally by and projecting longitudinally from the outlet endof said body, a tubular central barrel screw-threaded on said bodyandprojecting therefrom and around said stem, said central barrel having areduced` bore at one end portion,V a disk carried concentrically by saidstem outwardly of the' reduced bore portion of said central barrel, anend sleeve screw- -threaded on said central barrel andl adapted, whenprojected, to encircle said disk concentricallyand with clearance todefine the streain pattern emitted from the nozzle, the improvementcomprising a'n elongated longitudinal member pivotally carried by saidbody and extending alongside parts of said barrel and e'nd sleeve, andlaterally projecting means on 4said central barrel engageable with saidlast named member to limit the range of adjustment of said centralbarrel relative to said diskfor controlling the rate ofrow from saidnozzle, said central Ybarrel having circumfcrcntially spaced surfaceparts designating Pre' determined rate of flow settings of said nozzlewhen engaged by said longitudinal member said end sleeve havingcircumferentially spaced surface parts designating predetermined nozzledischarge patterns When engaged by said longitudinal member.

4. In a nozzle having a tubular body with inlet and outlet ends, a stemcarried centrally by `and projecting longitudinally from the outlet endof said body, a tubular central barrel screw-threaded on said body andprojecting therefrom and around said stem, said central barrel having areduced bore at one end portion, a disk carried concentrically by saidstem outwardly of the reduced bore portion of said central barrel, anend sleeve screw-threaded on said central barrel and adapted, whenprojected, to encircle said disk concentrically and with clearance todefine the stream pattern emitted from the nozzle, the improvementcomprising an elongated spring urged longitudinal member shiftablycarried by said body, and laterally projecting means on said centralbarrel engageable with said last named member to limit the range ofadjustment of said central barrel relative to said disk for controllingthe rate of flow from said nozzle, said central barrel havingcircumferentially spaced recesses designating predetermined rate of flowsettings of said nozzle when engaged by said longitudinal member, and aplurality of circumferentially spaced recesses on said end sleeve fordesignating predetermined flow pattern settings when engaged by saidlongitudinal member.

5. In a nozzle having a tubular body with inlet and outlet ends, a stemcarried centrally by and projecting longitudinally from the outlet endof said body, .a tubular central barrel screw-threaded on said body andprejecti'ng therefrom and around said stem, said central barrel having.a reduced bore at one end portion, a disk carried concentrically bysaid stem outwardly of the reduced bore portion of said central barrel,an end sleeve screw-threaded on said central barrel and adapted, whenprojected, to encircle said disk concentrically and with clearance todeiine the stream pattern emitted from the nozzle, the improvementcomprising an elongated longitudinal member shifta'bly carried by saidbody and spring-pressed to normally position a part thereof inengagement with said central barrel, said central barrel and end sleeveeach having a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches selectivelyreceiving said last named part of said longitudinal member, and Wingmeans projecting radially from said central barrel and engageable withsaid longitudinal member to limit rotative adjustment of said centralbarrel on said body.

6. A nozzle comprising a multiple part tubular body having inlet andoutlet ends, said body parts having screw-threaded connection, one parthaving a reduced bore .adjacent said outlet end, a disk carried byanother part and positioned outwardly of and concentric of said reducedbore, a third part adapted, when projected, to encircle said disk withclearance to define the stream pattern emitted from the nozzle, meansfor limiting relative rotation of said two first named parts to therebycontrol the rate of iiow of said nozzle, said means including anelongated longitudinal member pivoted to one of said parts and extending`alongside the other part and circumferentially spaced projectionscarried by the other of said parts and engageable by said longitudinalmember, the projection carrying part having circumferentially spacedsurface parts between said projections and releasably engageable by saidlongitudinal member to maintain said two iirst named parts in selectedflow controlling adjustment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,552,444 5/1951Nielsen 239-458 2,552,445 5/ 1951 Nielsen 239--45 6 2,763,514 9/1956Hansen et al 239-458 2,938,673 5/1960 Allenbaugh 239-458 EVERETT W.KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

1. A NOZZLE COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY HAVING INLET AND OUTLET ENDS, ASTEM CARRIED CENTRALLY BY AND PROJECTING LONGITUDINALLY FROM THE OUTLETEND OF SAID BODY, A TUBULAR CENTRAL BARREL SCREW-THREADED ON SAID BODYAND PROJECTING THEREFROM AND AROUND SAID STEM, SAID CENTRAL BARRELHAVING A REDUCED BORE AT ONE END PORTION, A DISK CARRIED CONCENTRICALLYBY SAID STEM OUTWARDLY OF THE REDUCED BORE PORTION OF SAID CENTRALBARREL, AN END SLEEVE SCREW-THREADED ON SAID CENTRAL BARREL AND ADAPTED,WHEN PROJECTED, TO ENCIRCLE SAID DISK CONCENTRICALLY AND WITH CLEARANCETO DEFINE THE STREAM PATTERN EMITTED FROM THE NOZZLE, AN ELONGATEDLONGITUDINAL MEMBER PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY SAID BODY, STOP MEANS CARRIEDBY SAID CENTRAL BARREL AND PROJECTING FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LASTNAMED MEMBER FOR LIMITING ROTATIVE ADJUSTMENT OF SAID CENTRAL BARREL ONSAID BODY AND THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID CENTRAL BARREL AND SAID DISK IN APREDETERMINED RANGE IN WHICH SAID DISK IS SPACED FROM SAID REDUCED BOREAT ALL TIMES TO THEREBY DEFINE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM RATES OF FLOW FROMSAID NOZZLE AND A PLUAND MAXIMUM RATES OF FLOW FROM SAID NOZZLE AND APLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SEATS ON SAID CENTRAL BARRELBETWEEN SAID STOP MEANS FOR RELEASABLY RECEIVING SAID LONGITUDINALMEMBER.